Terry Thomason

The effect of accelerated certification procedures on union organizing success in Ontario

Several observers have argued that one reason for higher union density in Canada than in the United States is that union certification procedures are considerably less time-consuming in Canada. This study tests that claim through an analysis of data on employer unfair labor practices and the outcome of union certification applications in Ontario from 1982 through 1990. The author finds that employer unfair labor practices reduced union support in certification campaigns in Ontario, but their effect is far less significant than that found in studies of the certification process in the United States.